Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School

Introduction: KAPPA International High School was founded in 2007 as an unscreened public Bronx high school dedicated to bringing a rigorous IB quality education to all students. The IB, or International Baccalaureate Program, is an intense course of study in multiple disciplines designed for students across the globe.  KAPPA is one of only three public high schools in the Bronx, and the only unscreened of those, to offer IB.  Now in its eighth year, KAPPA has nearly 500 students sharing a single hall of six-school complex. These students are 60% Latino, 30% Black, and 10% of other backgrounds, with a majority of the students hailing from the Dominican Republic and 89% of students receiving free lunch. Nearly 40% of our students are Special Education and/or English Language Learners.  

Our team spans a variety of disciplines, grades, and specializations from 9th grade bilingual/ESL Math/Science, to Self-Contained Algebra, to 10th grade Global History, to 11th grade IB Literature and 12th Grade IB 20th Century Topics. Because of this diversity we don’t generally get the opportunity to collaborate. The Hollyhock program will provide us with a unique chance to work together, improving our vertical and horizontal alignment to best support our various student populations. Another major goal of our team is to develop sustainable teaching practices both for ourselves and to share with our teacher teams back home.